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7.23.2005

Yesterday, London police shot a man dead who they later said was "directly" linked to this weeks minimal terroristic attack. Today, they announced that they were mistaken. He was shot dead for simply running for a train.
Absolutely unacceptable. And when is it the "terrorists win"?

7.22.2005

Wow. The current total of the bank accounts of Gov. Rick Perry and Carole Keeton Strayhorn for the upcoming governor's race is as follows:
Perry: $8.8 million
Strayhorn: $7.0 million
If the common man wishes to run for the office, it would be Adios M0.......

How would you like to be Head Football Coach Mike Robinson. He took over a 3A program five years ago and put together a 40-17 record. For this season, his program is listed in the top 15 of Dave Campbell's Texas Football poll.
Sound good? Don't be so fast. He happens to be the head football coach of Wilmer-Hutchins High School, a school so mismanaged that it was disbanded last month by the State of Texas and its superintendent was indicted. All the students (and football players) are now being dumped into the Dallas Independent School District. (The school's web site is still in existence - proudly proclaiming its mission statement of: "to provide an exemplary education". )
The state ranked Wilmer Hutchins Eagles, in the blink of an eye, simply do not exist any more.

From the Dallas Morning News: "Wise County residents, be on the lookout for Sacha Baron Cohen aka hip-hop journalist Ali G . . . . At least two listeners called 'The Ticket' . . . on Thursday afternoon to report that Mr. Cohen, the star of Da Ali G Show on HBO, was standing on the side of U.S. Highway 380, trying to get a ride to Decatur."

The Patriot Act is renewed by the House and the New York Police Department announces they will engage in "random" searches of those that use the subway. If you don't want to be searched, then don't use the subway.
I do not like the way things are headed.

7.21.2005

Ebay announced it's earnings today for the second quarter of this year. For those three months, it had revenues of $1.09 billion (with a "b"). In 1996, Ebay's total revenue for the entire year was just $372,000.
Who would have thunk.

I had a discussion the other day with an elected Wise County official over whether "Team America - World Police" was liberal bashing or conservative bashing. I felt pretty confident that is was conservative bashing since it was produced by the makers of South Park. Of course, since I hadn't seen the movie, it made it a little tough to discuss.
So I went an rented it. After being duly shocked by the puppets in, uh, intimate relations (you have to see it to believe it), I still wasn't sure who was being bashed more. Then I heard a piece on NPR's "On The Media" where a reporter had interviewed the South Park creators. They had said "We hate conservatives, but we hate liberals more."
It kinda makes sense to me now. (But the Pat Robertson crowd would not like the movie.)

The Baylor Lady Bears, who won the women's backetball national championship earlier this year, visited the White House on Tuesday - and they were dressed prim and proper. There was a tad bit of a scandal earlier this week when the Norwestern women's lacrosse team made their Oval Office visit - with many of the girls wearing flip flops.
(OK, I admit this was just an excuse to mention "Baylor" and "national championship" in the same sentence).

From the Dallas Morning News: "Coach Mike Leach said he will wait until a week or so into fall drills before deciding which quarterbck will get the majority of practice snaps. Senior Cody Hodges appeared to have edge coming out of spring practice and will have to hold off redshirt freshman Graham Harrell and sophomore Phillip Daugherty."
That's Bridgeport's Phillip Daugherty.

It's odd to me that Aikman, Irvin, and Smith will be inducted into the Cowboy's Ring of Honor all at the same time. Texas Stadium is 34 years old (wow) and there are only 12 current Ring of Honor members. So Jerry decides to lump three special ceremonies into one? I don't get it.
I was there when Tony Dorsett and Randy White were inducted at the same time, and I thought both were getting a raw deal having to share the spotlight. Although I must admit that I kind of belittled the ceremony by betting my date that White would say "I tell you what" at least 10 times during his induction speech. I won.

"DECATUR MIXER — The Decatur Chamber of Commerce will hold a mixer today from 4 to 6 p.m. at Curtis Mortgage Inc., 1705 Farm Road 51 South in Decatur. For more information, call (940) 627-3107."
A mixer? Who with? The Tri-Delts?

7.20.2005

After having a day to contemplate the nomination of John Roberts to the Supreme Court, it has occurred to me, after all the debate over choosing a woman or a Hispanic, that he is a white guy. A very white guy. And he has a very white name.

"A small plane crashed in far northwest Tarrant County on Wednesday afternoon, killing all three people on board.The single-engine plane crashed into a boat that was sitting in the backyard of a home in the Bond Ranch subdivision, north of Hicks Airfield and west of U.S. 287.After hitting the boat, the plane burst into flames, witnesses said.Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson said the plane probably crashed about 12:20 p.m."
- Star Telegram

I have this personal consumption rule: If the product is capable of spoiling, I'll never eat or drink the last portions of it. Bread? I'll never eat the last slice. Salsa? I'll always throw away the last 1/4 inch. Milk? There's no way I'm emptying that gallon - I'll always leave a tad bit in the milk container and then throw it out.
Sorry, just a random thought.

James Doohan, the actor who played Scotty on Star Trek, has died.
As much as I could not care less about Star Wars, Battle Star Gallactica, and all other science fiction entertainment, I've always loved Star Trek. I suppose it's because I spent my adolescent years sitting in front of the TV on school day afternoons watching Channel 11.
Doohan's engines just couldn't provide more power.

"The government warned doctors Tuesday to be on the lookout for rare but deadly infections in women using the abortion pill RU-486, citing two more deaths after its use. At least five U.S. women have died after taking the pill since it began selling in 2000, although the Food and Drug Administration stressed that it could not prove the drug was to blame."
The pro-life crowd has been presented a PR gift by the FDA: It's a bit ironic to have a warning that an abortion pill causes death.

CBS has announced they will produce a mini-series on the life of Pope John Paul II which the network described as a "papal page turner."
Heather Graham will play the love interest, and Jon Cryer will star as the "wacky neighbor".
[Credit: The Ticket's Dunham and Miller]

7.19.2005

It looks like it will be Judge John Roberts, 50, to the Supreme Court.
Good bye civil rights. Good bye church and state wall.
The Right Wing is in charge, this guy will be on the court forever, and I think I'm gonna be sick.
(But I will admit that after observing him speak to the nation tonight without the benefit of notes, he is very smooth).

Yesterday a reporter asked the President, ‘We understand you are now close to a decision [on naming a Supreme Court nominee]," which caused the always likeable Bush to reply, ‘Well, thank you for telling me where I am in the process."
It looks like the reporter was correct. The White House announced today that we will learn who the President's nomination to the Supreme Court is at 8:00 p.m. tonight. I wonder if it is Carrie or Bo?

I didn't know that White House spokesman Scott McClellan(who has recently been beaten up, thanks to Karl Rove, more than a Wise County Democrat at an election party) is the son of Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn (who announced her run for governor last month).

7.18.2005

For those of you that are patient (or have a high speed connection), you have to see the Nike ad showing Tiger Woods as a child superimposed on today's British Open golf course at St. Andrews. It's great stuff. And his swing was fantastic even way back then.

"(AP) - Former middle school teacher Debra Lafave, waits for the start of a hearing before Circuit Court Judge Wayne Timmerman Monday, July 18, 2005 at the Hillsborough County Courthouse in Tampa, Fla. Lafave, whose sexual liaisons with a 14-year-old student made tabloid headlines, broke off plea negotiations with prosecutors and will claim insanity at a December trial, her attorney said Monday. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius) "

Former NFL quarterback, former Texas Tech great, and Boyd's own Billy Joe Tolliver won a celebrity golf tournament this weekend and pocketed $100,000. And "celebrity" tourney it was - feel free to check out the star studded list of players here.
And he was pretty funny in the post tourney press conference as he mused about how much his wife gripes at him for being lazy. Here's a sample:
"It wasn't six hours later [when I'm home from playing golf] and she's staring at me. She's got that look and I said, 'What are you looking at?' She says, 'You're getting fat.'" "Getting?" Tolliver replied, "I've been fat, but you still love me, don't you? I'd love you if you were fat. I'd miss you, but I'd love you."

Ranger pitcher Kenny Rogers turned himself in this morning to the Tarrant County Jail on the charge of Assault, a Class A misdemeanor. The offense carries with it a $4,000 fine. The guy makes millions a year and the most he can be hit with is four grand.
This got me thinking: In our criminal system, it is so odd that a defendant's ability to pay is never considered. For example, most folks who plead guilty in Wise County to DWI-First Offense receive a $750 fine (in addition to probation). It doesn't matter if they make $10,000 a year or $100,0000. Likewise, a person is "punished" for speeding 10 miles over the speed limit in the same fine amount regardless of income.
Then again, it should come as no surprise. If you are arrested and can't afford bond, you simply stay incarcerated in jail before ever being found guilty.
Are the rich given a privilege or are the poor discriminated against?

After watching Tiger Woods win the British Open this weekend, I've finally determined his most admirable trait. It's not his golfing ability, nor his ability to "say the right thing" during every interview. Nope, it's not his stylish apparel or even his extremely hot/model wife. Nope: It's his ability to NOT take his driver and attack the spectator that yells "You The Man" after every single drive.

Over the weekend, Saddam Hussein was finally indicted after being held in custody for over 550 days. The charge? His alleged role in 1982 of the killing of 15 people who he believed were responsible for a failed assassination attempt of him (Saddam).
1982? That's the only charge they can bring so far? Something that happened 23 years ago?

7.17.2005

I was watching the ESPY awards on Sunday night (why, I don't know). But I did do a double take when Destiny's Child ended the show and tennis player Serena Williams (far right- as if you had any question which one she was) joined them at the end of their performance. I don't know if it was seductive, odd, or neither.

There is nothing that makes you stop down and reflect more than the death of a young friend. I went out with Karen a couple of times in the 1990s and she even rented my out-of-county house from me when I moved back to Wise County in 1992 (to establish residency so I could run for DA). In all honesty, I hadn't spoke to her in a number of years but had kept up with her through mutual friends.
Her obitutuary is in today's (Sunday's) edition of the Star-Telegram.
Her death last Thursday is a sad occurrence. She was 41.